My Elusive Blue
by Whispering Mink
Summary: When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?
1. Chapter 1

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 1**

**Summary: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?**

**Rating:** T for now, may change to M for later chapters if I decide to write sex scenes into this. Warning: homosexual relationships! If you do not like this, please do not read

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice: **English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes: **Okay, I'm back for now! A lot has happened in the duration of 4 years since my latest serious fic. My interest in certain pairings have shifted, and I have been playing with the idea of writing a fic for these two for a while now. Apparently, I have a thing for pairings where one part is fascinated with the other, but is emotionless otherwise – no straight up lovey dovey-ness for me! I plan for this fic to last 5-6 chapters, depending on how popular it gets. Please bear with how often I update this, as I may suddenly be caught up in Bachelor-related work.

I hope you, as the reader, will like this fic!

Edit: I changed some of the names in order to be more true to the nature of the character. Thanks for pointing it out 'silver woman' :)

* * *

"kurokocchi, hurry up, we're going to be late!"

Kuroko's eyes rose from the book placed at the table in front of him. In the door stood Kise, the blonde haired member of the generation of miracles. He was breathing heavily, and had a frantic look in his otherwise warm yellow eyes.

"Why are you just sitting here?! Hurry up!, I'm not going to shield you from captain's wrath if you are late!"

Kuroko slowly rose from his spot, before allowing his eyes to glide towards the window next to him. Outside, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and the sun was mercifully beating down on the vast amount of concrete adoring the school grounds. It was a beautiful summer day. A perfect day for basketball training.

"kurokocchi…" Kise muttered impatiently. The blonde walked the distance between the two and grabbed Kuroko's collar and yanked it slightly to get his attention. Why did Kuroko space out a time like this? "Tell me why you are not freaking out about being potentially late?"

Kuroko met Kise's gaze and smiled softly. "It's a beautiful day." He simply stated. "If we do not stop up and appreciate such things, life would become a lot less interesting."

Kise face palmed himself as if to signal that it was not time for Kuroko to be philosophical at a time like this. He quickly motioned the smaller boy out of the empty classroom and towards the basketball court through the many corridors that worked as the school's internal network.

"If we get in trouble, I'm going to blame you, you know." Kise muttered in a teasing tone as they walked at a reasonable pace in order to not get any later than they currently were. "I'm sure that the captain will be nicer towards you if we get late anyway."

Kuroko closed his eyes momentarily as they walked, wondering what Kise meant by his statement. He did not feel like the captain, Akashi Seijuro, was favoring anyone. Actually, the captain had always been rather just… But perhaps Kise saw something Kuroko hadn't been able to see yet.

When the two reached the basketball court, Kise stayed in the background, allowing Kuroko to enter the premises first. The other members of the generation of miracles were already present, and fully engaged in their training. However, as if some supernatural force had alerted him of their presence, a pair of sharp red and yellow eyes quickly darted towards them with their first steps onto the court.

Kuroko watched calmly as their captain, Akashi Seijuro, approached them. Akashi always carried himself with a natural sense of power, and even though Kuroko was not easily persuaded by anyone, he felt the natural pull Akashi emitted. He naturally demanded people's attention by his mere presence.

"Ryouta" Akashi stated matter-of-factly, his eyes quickly darting up to the taller male, before darting once more to fully settle at Kuroko. "Tetsuya"

Kuroko felt his chest hurt slightly, with the way the captain spoke his name. He felt the disappointed tone, and the blaming eyes. He felt like Akashi could see straight through him in that moment.

"Sorry, Captain." Kuroko muttered, quickly averting his eyes from Akashi's intense staring. Nevertheless, even though their eye contact was broken, Kuroko could still feel the piercing sensation from the red haired boy's intense presence. "I… I was dozing off. Lost count of time. I will make it up to you in this training session."

Akashi remained silent for a few seconds. The silence was unbearable, even though it was no more than a short moment.

"Ryouta, join the others." Akashi stated, not averting his gaze from Kuroko. "I will deal with you later, leave me with Tetsuya for now."

Kuroko could see how Kise was conflicted about leaving Kuroko to face his demise with their intimidating captain… however, as the situation was, he did not have much of a choice. Sending a quick apologetic look in Kuroko's direction, Kise slowly walked towards the rest of the team, heading Akashi's wish of leaving the two of them alone.

Kuroko gathered his courage, not being able to dodge the captain's gaze anymore, and met Akashi's eyes head on. The captain was naturally intimidating to say the least, but the more Kuroko looked into those heterochromatic eyes, he could not help but feel like Akashi was quite beautiful to look at. Like when looking at the sun. It hurt to look directly at it; however, it did not take away from its beauty… or power.

"I hope you were doing something immensely important to miss out on a training session." Akashi stated calmly. "I didn't think you would be the type of person to lose the passion for basketball. Quite the contrary, actually."

Kuroko felt himself tighten, and his hand formed into a fist in frustration.

Even though Kuroko was normally a very calm person, he felt hurt whenever someone doubted him on his passion for the sport. Naturally, what should matter most was his own feelings, however seeing Akashi's calm statement, as if it was a matter of fact that he had lost his passion, somehow set him off.

"I have not lost the passion, Akashi-kun!" He stated passionately – his otherwise calm blue eyes flaring up ever so slightly. "I want to play with you guys, and be a valuable asset to the team! I will work harder if it makes you and the team believe in me once more!"

A small smile slowly formed across Akashi's lips.

Kuroko, who had expected a colder reception of his small speech, felt his guards slowly lower with the red haired boy's smile. He wanted to tell the captain that his smile made him look so much more approachable, but he knew that it probably would not be well received.

"Tetsuya." Akashi started, the smile staying on his lips. "If you have lost the passion for the game or not, is none of my concern. As long as you play and you play well, I will not make any objections as your captain."

Kuroko gazed at Akashi in disbelief, still rather taken aback by his captain's constant disinterest in their personal goals, or what drove them in life. Was it all just one big game for him? How could someone function and be happy like that?

However, before Kuroko had the opportunity to contemplate Akashi's outlook on life, he was jolted from his thoughts by the feeling of a hand at his shoulder.

Kuroko slowly lowered his gaze, to look at Akashi's hand, which had somehow found its place at his shoulder. Akashi's hand was warm and firm – even though Akashi did not have the biggest hands of the team, he made up for it in mere presence. Kuroko's eyes rose, only to meet the red haired boy's eyes head-on.

He was close – leaning over Kuroko in what may have looked like an intimidating gesture to onlookers. However, the eyes Kuroko met were not intimidating. They were powerful and intense like always, however there was a certain warmth to them, that Kuroko had never noticed before… not until now.

"But as Akashi Seijuro, your _friend_." His voice was dangerously low, and with their current position, Akashi slumbering over Kuroko's frame, Kuroko felt himself become even smaller than usual; "I would hate to see you lose your passion."

Kuroko was at a loss of words. He was not sure if Akashi had expected an answer, but Kuroko gave him one none the less. Even if it was a somewhat jumbled one. "I… I…" He quickly gathered his thoughts, and stated in a more coherent way; "You know that won't happen Akashi-kun…"

Akashi chuckled mildly. "Hopefully not… it would be a shame."

Kuroko was not sure how to react. Had the old Akashi returned?

Kuroko remembered talking with Midorima about Akashi possibly having two sides to him, and even though the intimidation that usually characterized the new Akashi was more than present, the concern for the team's personal well-being was something he most vividly remembered from the original Akashi.

Kuroko was not sure if he truly preferred the old Akashi to the new one. The original Akashi was more easily approachable, and seemed to truly care about the team's wellbeing… however, the current Akashi, though intimidating, had a more intense personality in general… And though he did not like to admit it, the generation of miracles had never been stronger.

Kuroko was jolted from his own thoughts, when he felt his captain slowly lean away from him once more. The weight on his frame was gone, but Kuroko somehow felt like the weight had ended up being nice… if just for a little while.

"Now, Tetsuya." Akashi started. "I'm sure the others would appreciate you joining their training."

Kuroko nodded softly, meeting the captain's eyes briefly one last time, before following his suggestion of joining the training. He was itching to get the ball in between his hands. Somehow, Akashi's faith in his passion for basketball had sparked something inside of him. He guessed it was always nice to have someone believe in you so firmly… right?

Kuroko was mostly practicing his passing and dribbling during the training session, pairing up with Aomine whom he naturally needed to be in tune with to play well. Aomine being in a good mood, made the whole process a lot easier.

"So, Tetsu, did the captain give you a piece of his mind? That looked pretty horrifying." Aomine passed the ball to Kuroko, trying to practice while chit-chatting which he would usually do when getting bored with their usual training regimen. "I hope he wasn't too hard on you."

Kuroko remained silent for a while, contemplating his answer. "I don't know what you are talking about." He stated quietly.

"Come on, I saw what was going on between the two of you. You can talk to me about it; I won't hold it against you even if you cried a little." Aomine said teasingly. "What did he say?"

However, Aomine's curiosity completely fell short on Kuroko who was entirely focused on something… or _someone_ else.

"Oi, Tetsu?" Aomine tried once more, but it was futile.

Kuroko had the itching feeling that someone had been watching him for a while now. You could call it a sixth sense… or you could call it intuition. At the least, the hairs on Kuroko's back stood up, and he felt an enormous demanding presence, being directed at him.

He followed the feeling, only to meet a pair of very familiar heterochromatic eyes. Akashi was looking directly at him… and the red haired boy did nothing to conceal it… Not even when Kuroko's deep blue eyes gazed directly back at him, with a mix of wonder and bewilderment.

At first, Akashi did nothing to change his expression. But then a smile broke from his lips.

Why was it that Kuroko did not feel like a deer in the headlights, like some normal person in Akashi's presence would do?

In fact, Kuroko felt a tingling sensation at the back of his head instead… and a tightening at his chest. Kuroko slowly moved his hand, to clutch at the uniform adorning his chest – somehow hoping that if he acknowledged the feeling, that it would go away.

But it didn't.

It only grew.


	2. Chapter 2

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 2**

**Summary: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?**

**Rating:** T for now, may change to M for later chapters if I decide to write sex scenes into this. Warning: homosexual relationships! If you do not like this, please do not read

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice: **English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes: **Random fact: This is my first fic about a homosexual pairing! Usually, I prefer straight pairings, however these two were just too good to pass up on. Furthermore, I am not the type of person to discriminate towards love, and gender is not really something I believe should dictate who to love and not to love. I guess the straight pairings dynamic, just appealed to me more in the past

Got hit with a sudden urge to write, so don't expect these 1-day updates in the future XD

Also, I don't expect this to become an abusive Akashi x Kuroko. It is not going to be a completely healthy relationship at first, but I believe that Akashi would not be the kind of person to have a 'normal' kind of relationship with anyone… But that is just my take on him!

Edit: Akashi realized that he is Bokushi and not Oreshi, which means that he doesn't use the characters family names! Thanks for pointing it out 'Scarlet Aki-chin' :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Kuroko tried to ignore the feeling at the back of his head. He really did try. However, training with the high caliber talent that characterized all members of the generation of miracles, demanded all of his attention. And when another entity, a very insisting and powerful entity at that, demanded part of his attention as well, it really did influence his training.

"Tetsu, what is up with you?" Aomine exclaimed, his tone evidently annoyed, as he grabbed the ball in between his hands to stop their training. "If your head is somewhere else, please tell me so. I won't waste your time."

Kuroko was snapped out of the eerie sensation, by Aomine's voice.

"Aomine-kun…" Kuroko muttered, his eyes falling to the floor. "I'm sorry." He started quietly. "I guess I'm just not used to the captain keeping such a close eye on me."

Kuroko knew that it sounded ridiculous. Normally, he could play a full game of basketball with thousands of eyes directed at him without any problems… however, somehow, Akashi's eyes were different to him. It felt like they did not simply observe him… they were demanding something from him. They expected something. And it was slowly driving Kuroko mad. Had he first noticed the captain's eyes now? Had this been happening for longer than he initially thought?

Aomine growled lowly. "Is that something new?" He scratched the back of his head with his hand. "The captain has always been very keen on your progress."

Kuroko could not help but smile ever so slightly. Even though he still felt the eerie sensation at the back of his head, it somehow made him calm down to know that he was not completely mad… and that Aomine confirmed his 'suspicion'.

Kuroko's eyes rose to meet Aomine's, still the small smile adoring his lips. He could not be a burden to the team… and if their captain felt like he needed the extra attention, he would just have to work harder.

Or, so he thought.

"How do you deal with the captain staring at you, Aomine-kun, doesn't it give you the chills?"

Aomine leaned back into his usual uninterested position, as he quickly looked towards Akashi, who was seemingly observing their individual progress. "I have never really noticed if he observes me or not." He stated calmly. However, his deep blue eyes quickly turned more worried, and the larger male bent down towards Kuroko. "Tetsu, are you sure that you are okay?"

A large strong hand placed itself on Kuroko's forehead.

"You do not have a fever." Aomine stated, clearly considering what to do with his teammate who was clearly more out of whack than he would admit.

Kuroko smiled apologetically, and tried to get Aomine's hand away from his forehead. It always amazed him how in-tune Aomine could be with him sometimes. Even though the larger male did not seem like the sensitive type, Aomine did really care about his teammates when it came down to it.

"I am okay Aomine-kun." Kuroko insisted. "Thanks for worrying though. I will just have a short break to clear my head."

Aomine clearly did not believe Kuroko's statement that he was okay, however the dark male did not try to stop him, when Kuroko slowly moved away from the court.

Why was he so out of it? Why could he not concentrate?

However, what should have been a nice short break to clear his head quickly became something else.

Kuroko left the court entirely, and entered the locker room the team always used to change in. The locker room was a decent size, with long rows of lockers, a pair of benches, and accompanying shower section. Since the whole team was training at the moment, he had the rare opportunity of being completely alone with himself.

Kuroko sat down at one of the benches, leaning forward, and placing his head in between his hands. To onlookers, Kuroko might have looked like someone who was severely depressed. However, that was not the case.

Kuroko simply felt out of his element. Why was it that the red haired boy's gaze affected him so much? Why was this all of a sudden a problem?

Kuroko let in a deep long breath, trying to calm himself down and regain his sense of composure. For him to lose his cool was truly a rare occasion. Heck, people who did not know him would call him 'emotionless' based on their first impression of him… he guessed it had something to do with his lack of presence… So for them to see him like this, they would surely be quite shocked.

The soft 'click' of the door opening, resounded in the locker room.

Kuroko did not bother to raise his head at first, and simply muttered under his breath; "Aomine-kun, I'm really okay… please just go back to practice."

However, the voice that filled the locker room was not the deep familiar voice of the dark male he knew so well. Instead, the awe striking voice Kuroko had eluded most of the day, boomed in his ears… and when Kuroko finally raised his head to look at the person standing before him, he felt himself stiffen. It was him. The reason why he had withdrawn from the basketball court. Akashi Seijuro.

"Tetsuya." Akashi stated, his frame standing well above Kuroko who was still seated and slightly taken aback by his captain's sudden entrance. "I heard from Aomine that you were not feeling well."

Kuroko met his captain's eyes. Even though Akashi's eyes were usually powerful and intimidating, right now they seemed rather passive. Observing. Waiting.

"Aomine-kun is worried for no reason, Akashi-kun." Kuroko stated, keeping his voice strong and firm to not reveal his inner insecurities. "I will return to the basketball court right away."

But before Kuroko had the opportunity to raise from his seat, he felt a light thump next to him, as Akashi sat down on the bench as well.

Kuroko felt himself immediately stiffen up, and his eyes automatically turned to the red haired boy next to him. Akashi was looking straight ahead of him, with a light smile on his lips. Kuroko did not dare walk away now, and even though Akashi sat a good 20 centimeters from him, Kuroko could not help but close his eyes to fully sense the other boy's presence next to him.

The more time he spent close to Akashi, the less intimidating he seemed. Why was it that he felt so uneasy when being observed by him? Was his mind playing tricks on him?

"Akashi-kun…?" Kuroko muttered questioning, when the silence became too unbearable.

Akashi turned his head, and finally met Kuroko's gaze. By turning towards Kuroko, Akashi rested his hand on the bench, and leaned closer towards the blue haired boy. The two of them were close. Painfully close. Kuroko, feeling quite flustered by their sudden proximity, had to withhold a sudden and unexpected urge to blush.

"The two of you have been quite close recently." Akashi stated, his heterochromia eyes calm and collected. No hostility was evident in his voice.

Kuroko blinked rapidly, visibly confused. "Who, me?" he asked.

"You and Daiki."

Kuroko searched the deep heterochromia eyes once more, baffled by his captain's sudden question. He could not quite figure out what the captain's intentions were, and the red and yellow eyes did nothing to give it away either. Was it supposed to be a problem?

"Uhm… yes?" Kuroko answered timidly. He was not entirely sure how to react. "We have always been close. Aomine-kun is a good guy and he-"

Kuroko's stream of speech was cut short when Akashi suddenly, with no warning at all, placed a finger across Kuroko's lips.

Kuroko stopped. Searching and begging for answers in his captain's eyes. The finger was cool against his lips. It was as if the mere motion had set a stop to his whole body. He could not move.

"Tetsuya." Akashi spoke, leaning in closer. "When you talk of him like that, it does not please me."

Kuroko watched, frozen on the spot, as Akashi's face came closer and closer towards his own. He felt mesmerized by those beautiful red and yellow eyes, and because of that, he did not move. Instead, he softly spoke against Akashi's finger; "Why are you doing this?"

Akashi stopped in his track – now mere centimeters from the blue haired boy's mouth. A small smile broke from his lips. He seemed amused for some reason.

"Why?" Akashi repeated. "Why do you think, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko felt driven into a corner, when the captain turned the tables on him. He could feel Akashi's breath ever so slightly on his face, and even though something deep inside him told him to put some distance between the two, something else screamed for him to stay.

Kuroko felt extremely conflicted.

"Because… you want me to be a better basketball player?" Kuroko asked, honestly not being entirely sure why Akashi was so deeply invested in him all of a sudden.

He shivered lightly when Akashi let his finger travel from Kuroko's lips to his jaw and further onto the base of his neck. Even though Akashi's fingers were still somewhat cold, his touch managed to create a warm feeling in Kuroko's body. It was odd and conflicting.

"You are so painfully naïve, Tetsuya." Akashi's hand moved onto the back of Kuroko's head, before it found hold in between the boy's blue locks of hair. He buried his fingers deeply onto the other boy's hair. "I will teach you, if I have to."

Kuroko had no moment to react before the red haired boy's lips slammed onto his own.

He was honestly shocked. At first Kuroko just sat there – enveloped in the warm feeling of his captain's lips, and the slight scraping at the back of his head from the red haired boy's fingers. He was locked in place.

Even if he had not been held still by the powerful hand at the back of his head, he probably would not have moved away. Mainly because as much as he hated to admit it… it felt nice. Akashi's lips were warm, soft and inviting, and the hand buried in his hair, made shivers run down his spine.

Kuroko slowly felt his body melt, and his mind was swimming. When Akashi's lips finally moved lightly to deepen the kiss, and Kuroko met those deep red and yellow eyes which were watching him intensely during the kiss, he felt something 'click' inside of him.

Kuroko started to reciprocate the kiss.

He started timidly to move his mouth, and even though he was inexperienced in the art of seduction, he quickly experienced that Akashi definitely was not. The red haired boy's hands moved to the small of Kuroko's back, where it served the purpose of both holding the blue haired boy in place and embrace him.

Somehow, Kuroko felt safe in Akashi's arms. If someone had asked him yesterday if he would feel safe in the captain's arms, he would probably have thought so too, but not in the literal sense. Not like this. But he did feel safe…

The wet sensation of Akashi's tongue entering his mouth, made Kuroko's head swim once more, and he reciprocated to the best of his capability. It was definitely Akashi who took the lead, and Kuroko was simply dancing willingly along the best he could.

In the few moments, it took them to share the kiss; Kuroko did not have the capacity to think the situation through. His body had acted on its own. Honestly, he felt quite betrayed by it… how was he supposed to look his captain in the eyes anymore? How would anything be like before after this?

Kuroko breathed heavily when their kiss broke, and he automatically held his arm across his face in a futile attempt to hide his flustered cheeks.

"I hope you know your place from now on." Akashi spoke, his eyes dangerously intense. The smile from previously was nowhere to be found. "I don't want to see the two of you get too close again."

Kuroko tried to gather his thoughts, but he was still in utter shock after the kiss. He just barely managed to piece together what Akashi was telling him.

"After all…" Akashi brushed his fingertips towards Kuroko's jaw, before taking his face fully into his hands. His gentle touch was in stark contrast to the intensity of his voice and eyes. Kuroko stared back – the red and yellow eyes of his captain devouring him more and more with every second. "…I was the one who found you. I am not prepared to give up on you so easily."

Kuroko gathered his thoughts enough to finally speak up. "W-what does that mean?" He did not move an inch. He still had a hard time saying anything to the captain, with the previous hot episode still playing on repeat at the back of his head. His cheeks were flustered, and his hair was more of a mess than usual because of Akashi's demanding grasp.

However, Akashi had no intention of Answering Kuroko's request for an explanation. Instead, he simply rose from the bench, looking down onto the flustered Kuroko.

Finally, a small smile broke from Akashi's lips. This time, it appeared very genuine.

"It seems like you enjoyed yourself too much, Tetsuya." He stated, making Kuroko immediately cover his face once more in utter embarrassment. How could he be so indifferent? The only change in Akashi's attitude Kuroko had noticed with his well-developed observation skills, were the increased intensity of his gaze. Did he really just play with him?

"What is all this!?" Kuroko finally raised his voice, in what may have been a desperate attempt for the explanation he truly needed. "Answer me!" Kuroko could feel his heart beat painfully against his chest, and his stomach felt like it was tied in knots. His deep blue eyes looked to Akashi, who was not visibly fazed by the blue haired boy's sudden outburst.

"In time." Akashi simply answered in a calm and collected tone, as he slowly moved towards the door leading out of the locker-room.

"You can't leave me like this!" Kuroko protested, as he stood up to stop his captain from opening the door. The panic was evident in his voice. "You can't do that and just leave like nothing happened!"

Akashi's hand stopped, resting at the door handle as if something Kuroko had said truly got to him. Because of Akashi's hesitation, Kuroko managed to get to him before he could leave.

Kuroko buried his hands in the back of Akashi's shirt – the big bright number 4 clutched in between his fists. How did he dare play with him like that? Why would he not explain why he had done such a thing towards him? And why would Akashi of all people, make his heart stir with both unease and happiness?

"Answer me!" Kuroko demanded once more, small droplets of tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

Akashi slowly turned towards him, his slightly taller frame seeming like a looming figure to Kuroko, who understandably felt quite vulnerable at the moment.

Before Kuroko could fully look at the captain, he felt a hand at the top of his head and Akashi's voice filled his ears.

"I did it because I felt the need to. To remind you of where you belong."

And with that, the soothing sensation of Akashi's hand at the top of Kuroko's head vanished, and the red haired captain left through the door with nothing more to say.

However, before he fully left, Kuroko managed to catch a glimpse of the captain. His bright intense eyes were narrowed, and a small smirk adorned his lips.

He left with the same kind of confidence he came with.


	3. Chapter 3

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 3**

**Summary: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?**

**Rating:** T for now, may change to M for later chapters if I decide to write sex scenes into this. Warning: homosexual relationships! If you do not like this, please do not read

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice: **English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes: **Okay… I got tempted to write once more. I guess the writer's block I experienced a few years back have slowly lifted itself. For how long, I have no idea, but it is definitely nice to be able to write at a faster pace once more :)

I'm considering making 4-5 chapters of Kuroko's Teiko time, and then make a time lapse to his time at Seirin. Thought it would be nice to weave the Akakuro into the timeline most prominent in the manga/anime series :)

Please do leave a review, if you want to make my day. Nothing makes me more happy, than to hear from you guys ^^

Enjoy!

* * *

A lone figure was standing in a deserted hallway of Teikō Junior High. The young male was slumped against the nearest wall, and his eyes were staring at some random spot on the ceiling.

The male was easily recognizable to anyone at Teikō Junior High. His flaming red hair and intense two colored eyes were not exactly the look of any normal student.

The few people, who did venture down the hallway, immediately picked up their pace upon noticing Akashi. Normally, the young red haired boy was not exactly hostile to strangers, in fact, he was very charismatic and pleasant most of the time… however, upon noticing the look on his face, no one dared approach him.

Akashi was deep in thought. It was the first time in forever, since he had stopped up to contemplate his actions. It was truly a rare occasion for the otherwise confident captain of Teikō to second-guess his own decision. It was unheard of.

Akashi tilted his head slightly to the side, gazing down the long hallway in an effort to clear his mind. How did all of this happen? How would shielding Kuroko from onlookers help him in his pursuit to keep victorious at life?

Akashi buried his hand on top of his head in frustration. Now that he was alone, he did not bother keeping up the façade. His heart was beating painfully against his chest, but he tried to ignore it to the best of his capability.

He did not need these conflicting feelings. They were in the way. However, the urge was too great to resist, and Akashi's internal defeat became evident as a small smile broke from his lips.

"Tetsuya…" He muttered under his breath. "Why do you make me act so irrational?"

* * *

It had been a few days since Kuroko's 'encounter' with Akashi. Kuroko had done whatever he could to get his mind off the red haired boy and the beautiful eyes that had seared themselves into his memory. The mere thought of the encounter, made a light shade of pink paint his cheeks. He quickly pinched both of his cheeks in an attempt to get the color off his face. He could not let this get to him. The team's future was resting on him keeping focused. Personal matters would not sway his determination!

Kuroko entered the basketball court with regained determination, pumped to finally practice basketball with his teammates once more. Kuroko had come a bit early, and therefore he did not expect to see anyone else already being present. And certainly not his very dear teammate, Aomine, and the red haired captain that still lingered in the back of his head, Akashi.

Kuroko stopped in his track, not sure, if they had heard him entering the basketball court or not. On further inspection, it seemed like they were deeply engaged in some sort of conversation, not noticing their surroundings. Kuroko was not the type of person to eavesdrop on purpose, but when he saw the serious faces of both Aomine and Akashi, his body froze.

Because of the way the empty basketball court amplified sound, Kuroko could easily hear the conversation taking place.

"I do not approve of the way you look at Tetsuya" Akashi stated flatly.

Aomine, speaking in a much louder voice than the captain, did nothing to hide the fact that he was pissed off. "Eh?" He exclaimed. "I am not looking at him in any particular way. If I can't even look at my own damn teammate, then what should I do?"

"It is not the fact that you are looking at him." Akashi stated, his voice still calm and collected. He did not show any sign of discomfort, nor any anger. "It is the way in which you are doing it." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You look at Tetsuya as if you believe some part of him belongs to you. I completely understand that two teammates who play frequently together may develop strong bonds." Akashi paused shortly. "However, the way you are looking at him is definitely not just a teammate's gaze, Daiki"

Aomine's eyes narrowed, and he could not fully hide the fact that he was surprised.

"What are you insinuating, c_aptain_?" Aomine put pressure on the word 'captain' in slight disgust, when he finally put two and two together. "Why are you so interested in what kind of feelings I have towards Tetsu, it is none of your business."

A small smile broke from Akashi's lips. "Daiki, you have no idea how much it involves me." He leaned towards the much taller male, his red and yellow eyes glowing faintly. Apparently, the height difference did nothing to make the captain feel smaller in their argument. "If you decide to keep looking at Tetsuya like you are currently doing, is completely up to you." Akashi's eyes narrowed. "However, in that case, I may have to take some _precautions _towards you."

Aomine did not flinch by the sudden disguised threat. Instead, he simply looked down at his captain in wonder. "Since when did you take such a great interest in Tetsu?"

"Does it matter?" Akashi answered calmly. "What matters is that you know where I stand now. So, Daiki, what will you do about it?"

* * *

Kuroko remained quiet for the duration of the argument, and when the training session finally started, he had to muster everything he had in order to not give away that he was feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The fact that he was supposed to train his and Aomine's synergy today, did not exactly help either, and before Kuroko even got close to the darker male, he could see that Aomine was in a foul mood. But who could blame him? Kuroko, having overheard the previous conversation, did not blame him.

"Sorry Tetsu, I just had a bad night's sleep, don't mind me." Aomine poorly lied.

Kuroko looked at Aomine with a soft gaze. He could always tell when he was lying.

"Aomine-Kun, please don't push yourself." Kuroko muttered. He felt like being bold. The conversation with Akashi, had revealed some aspects about Aomine that Kuroko had not previously suspected about the darker male. What kind of way did Aomine look at him? Were they not just really close teammates and friends?

"Aomine-kun?" Kuroko asked.

"Eh? What is it?"

"Do you love me?"

The otherwise calm and collected expression on Aomine's face was broken by one of sheer terror. His mouth opened but he did not say anything. Instead, small shocked noises left his mouth; "E-eh, e-eeehh?!"

"Do you love me, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko repeated, his eyes flaring with determination. He needed to know, and no embarrassment was evident on his face.

"I…"

Tetsu was quite taken aback, when a light pink color started to form across Aomine's face. He had never seen Aomine get flustered like that before.

Aomine turned around in order to conceal the pink shade, but did a very poor job. "I like you… Tetsu." He started, clearly contemplating what kind of answer he should provide the blue haired boy with. "I really like you. You are talented at basketball, you are determined, and I think we… we play really well together." Aomine answered slowly.

A big smile broke from Kuroko's lips. He was utterly relieved. Even though he did really care about Aomine, and the two of them shared a bond that neither of them had with anyone else, he had never seen the two of them as potential lovers. Aomine was dear to him. A very dear _friend._

The fact that Aomine's real feelings did not match the picture Kuroko had created in his head, would perhaps never reach him.

"I like you very much too, Aomine-Kun!" Kuroko stated, his eyes more alive than they previously had been. "I hope we can continue to play basketball together for a long time too."

Aomine quickly turned and mumbled something about getting some water, leaving Kuroko feeling slightly confused.

When the generation of miracles finished their training, and Kuroko gathered his things to head home, he did not get to see the gaze that Aomine and Akashi shared. Before the red haired boy fully left the premises he quickly glanced towards Aomine. The two shared a quick gaze.

Akashi could not help but smile. A genuine wide smile. He did not feel bad for his teammate being shut down so painfully by Kuroko. On the contrary, he was somehow… really happy.

He thought that maybe his foolish attempt to control Kuroko through his sexuality had backfired, and thrown Kuroko right into the arms of Aomine. So to hear from Kuroko's own mouth that the two of them were no more than friends, truly thrilled Akashi.

Maybe… too thrilled.

* * *

"Tetsuya"

Kuroko stopped in his track. The sound of his captain's voice sounded in his ears, as he was on the way home.

"Akashi-Kun" Kuroko answered, turning around to face his captain. "I thought you did not walk this way home."

Kuroko mustered all he had to sound normal. Nevertheless, under the surface, he was extremely on edge. The kiss, the conversation between him and Aomine, the constant intense gazes… Kuroko had to push all of those out of his head, in order to not let his voice shake from sheer embarrassment.

"I normally do not." Akashi answered, his eyes burying themselves into Kuroko's. "I was trying to get to you."

Kuroko's eyes widened. "Did I do something wrong during practice?"

Akashi chuckled lightly. The sound was cute and warm to Kuroko. He liked it when Akashi let loose, and allowed his 'captain' façade to fall. When he did, Kuroko felt like he could be let his guards fall as well.

"No, you did nothing wrong Tetsuya" Akashi reassured him. "I wanted to invite you out for dinner."

Kuroko looked at the red haired boy with wonder in his eyes.

"You can pick whichever place you want. Money won't be a problem." When Kuroko still looked slightly confused, Akashi smiled softly and closed his eyes. "It's to apologize for what happened yesterday. I see now that I went too far."

Kuroko was not sure what to believe. On the surface, Akashi seemed very genuine… however, with what had happened, he was still slightly on edge. He wanted to believe him though. Dinner sounded nice, and Kuroko could feel his stomach rumble with the thought of food.

"Sure, Akashi-kun." He managed to answer coherently. "That sounds really nice."

* * *

"Tell me again why we came to this place?" Akashi asked.

They had come to Kuroko's favorite fast food chain. The blue haired boy had insisted that he wanted a hamburger and a large soda, and because of it, Akashi had not obliged.

"You could have picked any place, but you chose to go here." Akashi stated, sighing lightly.

"I felt like having a hamburger, I thought I could choose any place, Akashi-kun"

Akashi chuckled. "I guess I should choose my words more carefully another time then."

At first, they ate in more or less silence, with the occasional chit-chat about basketball or school here and there. Kuroko felt himself lighten up, and gradually become less and less tense as they spent time together.

If Kuroko did not know better, he would have thought he was eating hamburgers with the 'old' Akashi… The Akashi that openly worried about his teammates, wanted the team as a whole to succeed, and who was much less intimidating and intense.

However, Kuroko still did not know which 'side' of Akashi he truly liked the best. You could say that he had gradually come to accept that both sides were part of the captain 'Akashi', and therefore it made no sense to prefer one to the other. They were both him.

"Akashi-Kun?" Kuroko asked.

"What is it?"

Kuroko remained silent for a few seconds, to piece together what he wanted to ask, before he finally spoke; "Did you… feel anything… when we kissed?" Kuroko had to withhold a mild blush, upon allowing the words to escape his mouth.

He needed to know. Was he being played with? Did Akashi feel any of the conflicting feelings Kuroko was dealing with on a regular basis?

A smile formed across Akashi's lips. Kuroko held his gaze in place, and Akashi being as bold as he was, simply looked relaxed back at him.

"It felt warm."

Kuroko could do nothing to hide the pink shade on his cheeks anymore, after he heard the captain's statement. "What do you mean by warm?" He asked timidly, not giving up on getting his dearly needed answers, now that the two of them could talk in private again.

"It was like a warm sensation." Akashi explained, his eyes seemingly intensifying as he talked about it. "As if the two of us momentarily melted together."

Kuroko tried to return the gaze, but the explicit talk about 'melting together', made him look away in embarrassment. In fact, he now knew exactly what kind of feeling Akashi had been talking about.

Kuroko placed his hand across his heart, a soft smile adorning his lips.

"Akashi-kun… I have a confession."

Akashi looked at Kuroko with intensified interest, though the confession he was met with, was not something he had calculated into any of his possible outcomes. For the first time in a long time, Akashi was taken aback.

Kuroko smiled "you were my first kiss."

* * *

**A/N:** Just wanted to state that I actually support Aomine x Kuroko as a pairing :) It simply worked better as unrequited love in this story. Please bear with it, if you are an Aomine x Kuroko supporter like I am.

Please leave a review if you want to make my day! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 4**

**Summary**: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?

**Rating:** I have changed the rating to M, to be on the safe side as some sexual themes are present in this chapter. Rather safe than sorry! Also, I'll be safe if I write full-blown sex scenes later!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice:** English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes:** I'm really in the mood for some Akakuro 1 on 1 roleplay, so if you're a fan of the pairing and you like roleplaying, then send me a private message – I can play either role, depending on which you prefer :) We can discuss the details there too, depending on if our 'roleplay-chemistry' is good ^^

To answer the question about the time lapse, I will probably jump to the time of Kuroko's Seirin time, when I feel like the Akakuro-aspect of Teikō, has been fully explored.

Not sure how many chapters it will take ^^

Enjoy!

* * *

Akashi was sitting in his own thoughts during class – The pencil in his hand, drumming impatiently against the small table he was seated at.

Normally, the honor roll student known as Akashi Seijuro would diligently be following the lecture in class… However, the otherwise strict and proper captain, allowed his thoughts to drift for once. It was a rare occasion, but the circumstances surrounding it had also been nothing but normal.

He contemplated what the whole deal about Kuroko had been. It was unheard of, for him to develop more than a feeling of comradery towards the blue haired boy.

But what were his feelings anyway?

Akashi could not quite put his finger on it. At first, he had thought it was some sort of obsession… Like any other seemingly impossible thing, he wanted to master in life in order to appease some of his inner demons. Kuroko would have been the perfect example of that. Akashi had told himself that he just wanted to help Kuroko master his basketball, for the team's sake… In order to provide the team with the perfect supporting player.

However, Akashi could not convince his inner demons of that anymore.

"Akashi Seijuro" The teacher called, pulling Akashi out of his thoughts. "I'm sure you will be able to answer this question."

Akashi rose slowly from his chair, not hurrying the least to get to the blackboard where the teacher was waiting with a small piece of chalk.

He felt the whole classroom grow completely silent, and his slow deliberate steps towards the blackboard was the only thing resonating in the classroom.

Without a word, Akashi started to write down the answer to the math problem on the blackboard. His mind was elsewhere, though the result he wrote down was without a doubt correct.

_'You were my first kiss'_

The words resonated in his head. They haunted him. He remembered the encounter as vividly as if it had happened minutes ago.

He wanted to be selfish.

He smiled to himself.

The blue haired boy would belong to him… in time.

* * *

"Akashi-Kun."

Akashi allowed his two colored eyes to rise from the math book his attention previously had been directed towards. The lecture had just ended, and the last few students were leaving the classroom to go home.

At the other side of the small table Akashi was seated at, stood the blue haired phantom of the Teikō basketball team, Kuroko Tetsuya. Akashi quickly spotted that the blue haired boy was slightly nervous. Akashi could see it by the way he fidgeted with the textbook in his hand and the slight wavering of his gaze.

It looked rather cute to be honest…

"I… I thought that maybe you would…" Kuroko started, searching his captain's eyes for any sign of rejection. However, when he did not see any, he continued; "That maybe you would be able to help me… with homework."

Akashi smiled lightly. "Tetsuya, I hope you are not asking for my help, because you haven't been keeping up with the lectures" Akashi looked at the textbook in Tetsuya's hands with interest. "English, I see..."

Kuroko pouted lightly at Akashi's accusation. "English isn't really my strongest subject…" Kuroko muttered, still slightly put off by Akashi blaming him for not following the lectures.

"If it is too much of a bother to you, I will just ask Midorima-kun to help me." Kuroko turned, wanting to leave the difficult-to-deal-with captain, but was forced to stay in place, when he felt a cool hand at his wrist.

Kuroko turned towards Akashi once more, looking at his restrained wrist. Akashi's hands felt soft yet firm, and had the characteristic strong fingers of a seasoned basketball player. Kuroko knew that if Akashi wanted to, he could have tightened the grip, and forced him to stay. However, Kuroko quickly felt the grip lessen, and he met his captain's two colored eyes curiously.

"I never said it was a bother" Akashi corrected Kuroko, a small smile adorning his pale lips. "Sit with me."

Kuroko felt his heart skip an extra beat, with the sight of the captain's smile and the invitation to join him.

Kuroko slowly fetched the nearest empty chair, placing himself next to Akashi, so both of them would be able to see the English textbook.

Considering the size of the table, the two young boys had to sit dangerously close – So close, that Kuroko felt himself tense, and the slightest movement made his shoulders brush against the red haired captain.

However, Akashi did not seem to mind.

"Look." Akashi started, his eyes darting to Kuroko's English textbook, and the chapter they had been told would pop up on their next test. "It really isn't that difficult, if you just know the basics."

Kuroko listened intensely, as Akashi started to explain the different basic sentence patterns, word classes as well as how to do an analysis of an English sentence.

Kuroko felt amazed at how much easier it all seemed, now that Akashi was the one explaining it. Perhaps it had something to do with the red haired boy simply being highly intelligent… or perhaps it was a special talent Akashi had, as the natural leader he was.

Witout a doubt, He really was someone, who were able to help others better themselves.

As the red haired boy continued to explain, Kuroko could not help but sneak a peek at Akashi's face. Kuroko looked intensely at his fluttering eyelashes, his beautiful two colored eyes, as well as the soft curves that formed his mouth. Upon getting a closer look at his mouth and lips, Kuroko could not help but blush lightly…

If he wanted to, he could easily lean in and kiss those lips…

The mere thought made his blush intensify.

"Tetsuya" Kuroko was shaken from his thoughts - met with the familiar beautiful red and yellow colors of his captain. "Are you listening?"

Akashi smiled once more when realizing Kuroko's intense gaze on his face – the smile was wide and genuine and seemed to carry an abundance of hidden thoughts, that Kuroko had no way of obtaining. "Have you been distracted by something on my face, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko tried to come up with a plausible explanation for why he would stare at the captain so much, but was caught short when he felt a familiar cool hand caressing his cheek.

Kuroko's eyes widened and he held his breath in tension.

"I'm glad that you came to me first." Akashi muttered under his breath, his gaze intensifying by the second. He sounded genuinely pleased.

Kuroko gazed back at him – drowning in the two strong colors that the captain's eyes consisted of. "You would never have done that previously."

Kuroko felt how Akashi's hand moved slowly from the soft spot at his cheek, to a stray lock of sky blue hair. He ruffled it slightly in between his fingers, as if the texture had him perplexed.

"Akashi-kun…" Kuroko muttered. He wondered what he should say in this kind of situation… In fact, should he even say anything?

One question did press itself onto Kuroko's mind… And even though he knew it could be a dangerous question to ask, the blue haired boy, despite not looking like it, could be brave when he needed to. Also, with Akashi's busy schedule, the time slots where they were alone, grew fewer and fewer.

It had to be now, if he wanted any type of clarification.

"What am I to you?" Kuroko finally asked, his deep blue eyes looking to Akashi as if he hoped he could find the answers by searching the captain's eyes intensely enough. "What are we?"

A small smirk adorned Akashi's lips. He leaned in even closer – his free arm resting on top of Kuroko's English textbook, ruining their cover of studying, if anyone should walk in on them. "What do you want us to be, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko sat motionless, feeling the captain's finger brush against his bottom lip, and the slight warmth of the red haired boy's breath on his face. They were mere centimeters from touching.

"I can't see why a mere title would change anything. Acquaintance, friend, boyfriend, lover, it simply doesn't matter." Akashi stated – his voice dangerously low. He smiled. "Is it that you have fallen for me, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko remained firm, and met Akashi's gaze directly. He did not waver. He would simply not lose this time!

"Why is it that you always avoid my questions?" Kuroko stated, his eyes calm and collected. "Is it that you are afraid to actually answer the question of what I am to you?"

Akashi's eyes narrowed – his demeanor quickly becoming more serious and less playful. He did not look hostile, but it was clear as day to Kuroko that he had dug into something that the red haired male was not necessarily ready to talk openly about.

"You would not like my answer, Tetsuya"

Kuroko, not satisfied by the captain's attempt at an answer, took the initiative. The blue haired boy slowly placed his hand on top of Akashi's arm that was still resting on the table they were sitting at – he hoped to convey how much a genuine answer would mean to him. He felt the red haired boy shift slightly by the touch.

"I would rather you answer me, than leave me unknowingly in the dark." Kuroko said softly, his eyes looking to the slightly taller male insistently. "No matter what the answer may be."

Akashi looked at Kuroko, as if he was contemplating whether he should head his wish or not. After a few seconds of utter and complete silence, making Kuroko feel immensely uncomfortable, the red haired captain finally spoke.

"Tetsuya."

Kuroko was taken by surprise, as the slightly taller male suddenly moved with a speed Kuroko had only seen on the basketball court. The red haired captain grabbed both of Kuroko's arms, and forced him onto the small table they had previously been seated at. The whole motion took less than a few seconds, and left Kuroko completely baffled.

Kuroko whined slightly as his back collided with the harsh surface of the table, and the sound of his English textbook landing on the floor, resounded in the empty classroom. At first, Kuroko tried to get up from the vulnerable position, but quickly realized that Akashi had put all of his weight into keeping him in place.

Akashi was looming over him – his intense yellow and red eyes observing the blue haired phantom with eyes that Kuroko could only describe as belonging to some sort of predator. Kuroko felt his blood freeze.

"Even if you may not know it, you will soon belong to me, Tetsuya" Akashi spoke, his hands moving Kuroko's arms further above his head – earning another strained sound from the blue haired phantom, and revealing a good portion of the soft white skin at Kuroko's stomach.

Akashi gathered both of Kuroko's wrists in between one hand, so he could use the other to explore the newly revealed area at Kuroko's stomach. He allowed a long finger to glide slowly, from Kuroko's navel and down to the edge of the smaller boy's pants – Kuroko's skin was white like the purest marble, and the mere sight left Akashi's eyes growing even more intense and possessive.

Kuroko shivered lightly by Akashi's touch. However, what made him feel the most cornered was not so much the restrained position he had been put into, or the painstakingly slow movements of the red haired boy's fingers… It was his captain's gaze. He had never seen the captain look so intense. If he did not know Akashi like he did, he would think the captain was fixated on something to the point of madness... that couldn't be the case... could it?

"I am pleased that you do not fight me anymore." Akashi whispered lowly – seemingly thinking aloud. "Your body is reacting to me, Tetsuya."

Kuroko blushed lightly by the comment, but his mind was quickly engulfed in the feeling of Akashi's hand exploring his body once more. The red haired boy's cool hand brushed against the edge of Kuroko's pants, pausing there for a brief moment, only to move up his body again. His hand snaked itself under the blue haired boy's white shirt, until masterfully skilled fingers found one of his pink nubs.

"Am I also the first one to touch you here?" Akashi whispered close to Kuroko's ear, his fingers masterfully rubbing and tugging at the smaller boy's sensitive nub.

Kuroko arched in pleasure, the sensation sending shivers through his whole body. It felt like an intense electrical surge in his body with every touch, and a warm insisting sensation gathered itself in the pit of his stomach.

Akashi, seemingly pleased by the blue haired boy's reaction to his touch, slowly released Kuroko's restrained wrists as a reward.

Kuroko, completely losing himself to Akashi's masterful treatment, found himself clinging to his captain's back instead of trying to get away now that he had the chance. The new positon made the two get even closer, and Kuroko could not help but feel even more flustered, when he felt the captain press against his lower body, now that he was sitting on the edge of the table.

"If you want me, Tetsuya, you can have me." Akashi spoke against Kuroko's ear, his free hand cupping the blue haired boy's face, while the other still masterfully handled the younger boy's sensitive area at his chest. "But I come with a prize."

Kuroko barely comprehended what Akashi was telling him, as his head was swimming with all sorts of conflicting emotions. His body felt good... However, his mind was one big mess.

"Prize?" Kuroko muttered, shivering when Akashi bit down on his earlobe with no warning.

"Nothing is free in this world," Akashi whispered against the phantom's ear. The slight edge of amusement had found its way to his voice once more. "If you want all of me…" Akashi gazed intensely at the deep blue seas that were Kuroko's eyes. "…Then you will have to give me all of you."

Kuroko looked at Akashi, questioning.

However, the red haired captain just smiled, as he pressed his upper body closely towards the blue haired boy's chest. Kuroko could feel the captain's natural warmth, even though his school uniform was in the way of any direct skin-to-skin contact… Kuroko's heart beat faster at the intimate position.

"Such an arrangement is only fair." Akashi continued, his voice hushed against Kuroko's lips. "What is your answer?"

Kuroko was about to ask what such an arrangement would mean more specifically, however he was silenced with the warm inviting feeling of Akashi's lips pressing insistently against his own. He welcomed the warm feeling... for a while.

Because what had caught the attention of Kuroko's drifting eyes, left him with a cold feeling. A terrifyingly familiar figure fell into Kuroko's line of sight.

How long had he been watching them?

The figure stood awfully still at the entrance to the classroom – a sports bag clutched in his hand, and a mortified expression on his otherwise harsh features.

"Ao-" Kuroko muttered against Akashi's lips. However, the red haired boy did not stop the kiss with that, and for some reason, it felt like the captain's kiss only grew hungrier now that he had an uninvited guest watching them.

Kuroko could feel Akashi's tongue snaking its way into his mouth, as the blue haired phantom watched Aomine's eyes meet his own. He saw all sorts of emotions in those eyes. Confusion… Embarasement … But also emotions Kuroko did not expect to see.

Hurt mixed with anger.


	5. Chapter 5

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 5**

**Summary**: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?

**Rating:** M for some possible sex scenes and sexual content in general. There may be some violence as well.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice:** English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes:** To answer some more questions: I originally stated that the story would only last around 5 chapters, however that is not the case anymore.

I am not the type of person to plan my plot ahead (I write organically), so I really have no idea how long the story will last until I actually write it. ^^ I simply write ideas down in a small notebook, when they come to me but aside from that, nothing is predetermined.

However, I am sure that the Seirin time will last more than 1-2 chaptes, as I already have a few ideas written down for it :) If I do not decide to write about the Seirin time, I may incorporate it into an entirely new story, also with focus on Akakuro, so please look out for that! :)

I also Just recently ordered a book on fiction writing, so perhaps I will do stories with predetermined plots in the future :p

Enjoy!

* * *

Kuroko wanted to speak up like he had never wanted to speak up before.

The realization that they had been found out, felt like a cold bucket of water had been emptied on his back. He felt guilty. Ashamed. All sorts of horrible emotions that conflicted with the warmth he previously had been swept away in.

It was not like Kuroko had tried to hide his interest in Akashi on purpose, but now that he saw the blaming look on Aomine's face, he somehow felt like he should have.

Why was that so?

In reality, Kuroko owed Aomine nothing. They were dear friends, that much was certain, but whom Kuroko decided to be with should really be none of the dark male's concern. Right?

In contrast, Aomine clenched his fists with so much force that Kuroko could see how his knuckles gradually became whiter.

Kuroko turned to Akashi for a split second, who had finally decided to withdraw slightly from him. A visible smirk was evident on his lips, as his eyes finally turned to Aomine. This could not be good.

"Oh, we didn't see you there, Daiki." Akashi stated - his voice dripping with poison. "Should we consider making you our phantom 6th man in the future? You certainly know how to sneak up on people."

Kuroko knew very well that Akashi had been aware of Daiki's presence way before this very moment. Though Kuroko did not fully grasp his abilities on the basketball court yet, he knew that the red haired captain was extremely observant, and would not have let his parades fall to such an extend that he would not know when someone was watching him. This was simply taunting in its purest form.

Aomine remained silent, his eyes flaring up with what could only be described as simmering anger.

The fact that Akashi dared poke at the already vulnerable Aomine, made Kuroko's stomach turn in anxiety. He knew how easily Aomine was ticked off, and he knew way too well that the taller male was not the type of person who would say no to a fight if it presented itself so readily.

Aomine took a step forward, as if concluding that he wanted to settle the score with the arrogant red head after all… however, it seemed like some inner conflict made him stop. Aomine met Kuroko's gaze. Kuroko simply stared back, the guilt evident. However, since he had no way of explaining the situation in a context where it would soothe Aomine, he kept quiet as to not make matters any worse than they already were…

With a loud grunt, Aomine turned to leave. As he rushed down the nearby hallway, a loud stream of curse words filled the premises.

"Akashi-kun, why would you do that?" Kuroko finally spoke up, pressing his hands against Akashi's chest in order to free himself from the captain's tight embrace.

"Why wouldn't I? He invaded on our privacy and for that I had to make him leave." Akashi tightened his embrace, even though Kuroko was fighting it. He would not make him leave. Not now. "You shouldn't feel bad for him, Tetsuya. He will be back to his usual self in no time."

Kuroko looked at Akashi with defiant blue eyes – a rare sight for the captain. Somehow, it excited him that he could create such emotions in the otherwise unfazed blue haired boy. It felt like those emotions, no matter how repulsive they were; only belonged to him.

"Please, let me go." Kuroko insisted once more, the defiance still evident in his eyes and voice. "I will have to go after him!"

Akashi lowered his head slightly, until his lips were dangerously close to Kuroko's once more. The phantom returned the captain's intense gaze – not feeling the least intimidated, now that one of his friends were out there, somewhere, feeling hurt. He could not be swayed!

"Akashi-kun, let me go." He repeated firmly, his upper lip brushing against the captain's in the process.

Neither Akashi nor Kuroko flinched the least by the touch. They both stood firm in their conflicting beliefs.

However, beneath the surface, Akashi did contemplate whether to comply with Kuroko's request. On one hand, he enjoyed seeing the blue haired phantom struggle against his will – fully knowing that he had the power to either grant his wish or crush it mercilessly. On the other hand, he felt like a small glimpse of mercy had etched itself into his soul. Perhaps he had started growing a soft spot for the blue haired boy that he still did not want to fully acknowledge?

"Go." Akashi demanded flatly, his warm arms slowly retracting from Kuroko. It was not in his good will that he released the blue haired boy… However, a hidden soft side somewhere deep inside of him had won the internal battle. "But know that it won't make much of a difference if you talk with him right now. Honestly, you may end up hurting him even more."

Kuroko wanted to listen to Akashi. He really did... However, right now, his heart clenched painfully at the thought of Aomine being alone and hurt, which made him rush out of the classroom at the first change he got, without really taking in much of what Akashi was telling him.

Akashi knew this. However, the only thing that mattered right now to the red haired captain, was that he knew where he had the shadow. Kuroko had genuinely responded to his touch… Akashi felt like a small victory had been achieved. A small step towards winning a major battle. He relished in it and tugged it away somewhere deep inside of him. The shadow would be his.

While Akashi remained in the empty classroom, Kuroko ran as fast as he could down the hallway in pursuit of his dear friend. Knowing the darker male quite well, Kuroko knew where he would be. The roof.

When Kuroko finally got to the school's roof, he immediately spotted Aomine, standing with his back facing him.

"Aomine-Kun…" Kuroko called, slightly out of breath from the run. He had not really thought of what to say or what he would do when he got to him. Honestly, he felt conflicted about why Aomine felt these strong emotions in the first place…

"I'm sorry." Kuroko spoke softly, his eyes searching for some sort of reaction from the other male. He felt like he needed to apologize… at least for hurting Aomine… Even if it had not been on purpose.

However, the only thing that broke the seemingly endless silence was the mild rustle of the wind… Aomine, Kuroko's friend, refused to reply.

Kuroko looked at his feet in defeat when he realized Aomine would not respond to him. Kuroko gathered his courage and was about to step forward towards Aomine, when he was finally cut off by a strong voice;

"Don't come closer!" Aomine's voice boomed. "If you do, I can't guarantee what I might do!"

Kuroko stopped immediately as if he had been commanded by some supernatural force.

"B-but..." Kuroko started – his voice strained. "I don't know what is going on, why are you so mad?!"

Aomine clenched his teeth, visibly mad now. He turned around towards the blue haired boy, his eyes strong and full of both hurt and anger. "Tetsu, leave now! I don't want to repeat myself!"

"B-but what is going on?!" Kuroko spoke up, still powered by the defiance he previously had mustered against Akashi. "I'm sorry if you don't approve of my relationship with Akashi, but I had hoped you would be happy on my behalf!"

Kuroko gazed intensely into those deep blue eyes, searching for his answers.

"Happy?" Aomine repeated mockingly. "I would never be happy seeing you with someone else, and most definitely! Not with _him_."

Kuroko felt confused. He knew that Aomine and Akashi did not exactly get along, but he thought the two of them were able to at least co-exist. They were teammates after all… and Aomine, though difficult at times, did seem to respect the captain in his own way. So why the sudden hostility?

"He is manipulating you." Aomine continued, finally stepping towards the much smaller blue haired boy. Kuroko was used to the taller presence of Aomine, but right now, he seemed much more intimidating than he usually did. "He only wants you because he can't have you!"

Kuroko returned the taller male's gaze – he felt like he could burst into both anger and tears any time soon, if he did not restrain himself.

Aomine's words hurt somewhere deep inside of him. When those harsh words came from Aomine, they simply dug deeper into his consciousness than with anyone else.

"That is not true!" Kuroko spoke up, his voice quivering slightly by the pent up emotions. "If you took the time to truly get to know him, then you would see what I see!"

"And what do you see, Tetsu?" That horrible mocking tone was back. "Because all I see is a nasty deranged personality, trying to control everything. He won't steer clear of using you if it gets him to what he wants."

Kuroko felt those harsh words sting, even though it was not directed at him. He had a burning urge to defend Akashi. Of course, the red haired captain was not perfect in any way. Neither of them were. But he knew that despite Akashi's switch, some part of the old personality was still there, guiding the current Akashi into doing what he did.

"Akashi-kun would never use me against my will!" Kuroko raised his voice. "He is not as bad as you make him out to be!"

Aomine stormed forward, his body colliding with Kuroko's in the process. The blue haired boy felt himself being pinned against the tall sturdy fence that surrounded the roof. He was flabbergasted. When he looked up to see what Aomine had done, he felt something wet hit his cheek.

It only took a few seconds for the blue haired boy to realize what was going on.

Aomine was crying.

"Aomine-kun…" Kuroko whispered, suddenly feeling guilty that he was carried away. He wished he could do something to let Aomine understand that being with Akashi was not such a bad thing after all and that he should not be worried on his behalf.

"You know… Tetsu…" Aomine muttered, his palms resting on either side of Kuroko's face. His voice was suddenly solid and calm, in contrast to the silent tears still rolling down his cheeks. "I knew all along that you didn't like me back in that way. I guess I just didn't want to face it."

Kuroko listened intensely, the dense blue haired boy suddenly piecing Aomine's statements together to finally understand the bigger picture. Aomine liked him – and more than the initial 'like' he thought they shared as close friends.

Kuroko was shocked. He felt both stupid and horrible for not realizing until this very moment. His very voice was stolen from him, as he tried to process what to think about the darker male's feeling. He honestly hoped that he could refrain from hurting any of the people which were dear to him, but this whole ordeal complicated that immensely.

"I just wish I could make you happy - I would hate to see you get hurt by anyone. Even if I did hurt you more than a fair share of times myself."

Aomine sighed deeply, before finally retracting himself from the smaller blue haired boy. Kuroko looked up at him questioningly – his defiance suddenly crumbling into vulnerability. Aomine never talked about his feelings in that manner…

"Just watch out for Akashi." Aomine spoke again. "I'm familiar with the previous Akashi, but this new Akashi… It may be just a gut feeling, but I feel like he may cause you more hardship than happiness…"

Aomine looked at Kuroko for a few seconds, the tears all but a remnant of the past. "But really, it shouldn't concern me…" He muttered under his breath, as he left Kuroko to his own miserable thoughts.

Kuroko just stood there.

The horrible feeling of being emptied embraced his body.

_He wished he could have done more for Aomine._

* * *

The Teikō basketball team was gathered for another basketball match. The opposing team was from some unknown school, and the generation of miracles had only accepted the match because the boards of the two schools wanted to deepen the relationship through a friendly match.

The initial line-up consisted of Akashi, Murasakibara, Midorima, Aomine and Kuroko – leaving Kise on the bench.

Naturally, their newest member had not been happy about being benched for the match. However, with Akashi's gentle yet firm persuasion, the blonde had put up with it with only a small amount of bickering.

Kuroko had kept his distance to both Akashi and Aomine. No chit-chatting. Just basketball.

Kuroko hoped that he would be able to rekindle his friendship with Aomine during the basketball match. They had not talked in private since the big confrontation at the school's roof, and everything honestly felt a bit awkward between them.

None of their teammates had commented on it yet, but Kuroko knew that they did their fair share of wondering in the privacy of their own heads.

As Kuroko stepped onto the court to begin the match, he looked to Aomine. All he could see was his back.

The blue haired phantom already knew from that moment that it would definitely not turn into the good friendly match, he so desperately needed.

Kuroko could just feel it.

However, at first, it did feel like it was going to be okay. Just another normal basketball match. Midorima shot a few 3-pointers and Murasakibara stayed back to protect their goal from the very limited amount of times where the opposing team had the opportunity to shoot back. Kuroko could feel himself relax slightly with the easy start. It would be fine… he was being nervous for no reason at all!

But then Aomine got the ball.

The entire dynamic of the match changed. Kuroko froze on the spot, as the crowd went wild.

If Kuroko had not been there to see it with his own two eyes, he would not have believed it. Aomine moved with a speed and ferocity that the blue haired boy, or anyone on the team for that matter, had never experienced before. He completely disregarded the rest of the team and simply dunked the ball into the opposing team's goal over and over again, as if he was playing against no one but himself.

"This is bad…" Kuroko mumbled under his breath.

One thing was that Aomine was simply too powerful right now… the other was that he never really gave room for the rest of the team to assist him. In the current Aomine's world, his teammates did not exist.

Kuroko looked to Akashi, hoping that the captain saw the same thing as he did, and that he would try to do something about it. They could not win like this! This was not team play. It was slaughter.

Akashi's eyes were directed towards Aomine, as if contemplating what to do.

"Tetsuya."

Kuroko reacted to Akashi's voice, his eyes hopeful that the captain had come up with some way to deal with the situation at hand.

"I will have to bench you."

Kuroko froze – taken completely aback by the sudden decision.

"Wh-what?!" Kuroko exclaimed. "But Akashi-kun."

"You are not going to help this match with Daiki in that state." Akashi stated flatly – his eyes not giving away any of his inner emotions. "It will be better if you sit this one out."

Kuroko looked at the captain in disbelief. He really tried to read him, gazing into his two colored eyes, but Akashi did not disclose anything. Akashi's eyes were simply strong and intense – almost slightly insisting.

"Do you question my decision?"

Kuroko looked from Akashi to Aomine, somehow hoping that if he looked hard enough the blue light would notice and calm down. But Aomine remained out of reach. It felt horrible…

"Daiki will finish this match by himself." Akashi continued. "There is nothing you can do in his current state to help him."

Kuroko looked at his feet in defeat. He felt completely powerless. Robbed of some of the love he had towards basketball. He just wanted to play with Aomine like nothing had happened between them… But that seemed like a foolish wish at the moment.

Was it really true that the generation of miracles could only fight each other but never together? Were they really all destined to become so powerful that friends had to become enemies?

"You are hurt." Kuroko was shaken from his thoughts when he felt a familiar cool hand at his cheek. He looked slightly up to meet Akashi's eyes. Even though his eyes were still slightly stoic, a glimpse of warmth was evident. "It pains me that he can create such strong emotions in you."

Kuroko stared at the captain, slightly taken aback by the sudden display of care. It almost felt like some part of the old Akashi had returned… if just ever so slightly.

"Kurokochi!" Kise called. "Don't worry, I'll take your place, you don't have to feel bad about it." The blonde had apparently overheard part of the conversation.

Kuroko felt the weight of Kise throwing himself on his back playfully. Kuroko turned his head slightly to meet those bright yellow eyes right next to his' in confusion.

"I will fight for the both of us, so please leave it to me!" Kise brought his hands together in a begging gesture as if to emphasize that he really! Wanted to take his place.

Kuroko could not help but smile warmly at Kise. Even though he still felt distressed, the blonde's caring words did their fair share in calming his nerves.

"Thank you… Kise-kun."

* * *

Akashi starred at the blonde.

He did not think the model's usual playful behavior would end up annoying him in the way it did… and on the surface, the calm composed captain did not seem to be bothered by it at all, either.

However, on the inside, the otherwise calm captain was contemplating whether he should act on the sudden impulse to shove the intrusive blonde away from Tetsuya.

_They were too close._

It felt like Kise had intruded on part of a territory Akashi did not even knew he had.

He stared intensely at the blonde, making the model shiver visibly in discomfort even though he did not know he was being watched.

_He would have to keep an eye on him._


	6. Chapter 6

**My Elusive Blue**

**Chapter 6**

**Summary**: "When Kuroko's respected captain shows more than an appropriate amount of interest in him, how does the blue haired boy react? And how does one grasp a type of love that balances on the edge of obsession?

**Rating:** M for some possible sex scenes and sexual content in general. There may be some violence as well.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these wonderful characters.

**Notice:** English is my second language, so please bear with any minor mistakes!

**Author's Notes:** Pheeew, just finished my bachelor's degree and I am now looking forward to 2 months of vacation before I am going to start on my master's degree! Hope I will get more writing done in this period :)

This chapter will try to tie together what happened when the generation of miracles broke up with my own Akakuro twist. This is loosely based on the Anime/Manga, so please keep that in mind when reading! :) Also, I am currently working on another Akakuro project, which I hope I can show you guys soon. It will be an AU, I can tell you that much :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Despite Teikō's storming victory, the locker room of the winning team was terrifyingly quiet. It felt like a heavy blanket had shrouded all of the miracles – neither of them dared break the silence, and the tension only grew by the second.

The heavy atmosphere originated from the blue light of the team – Aomine Daiki. The dark male had not spoken a word since he got off the court, and even though he did not do much to attract the others attention, his aura alone told the miracles that something was terribly wrong.

You could call it a gut feeling between close friends.

The only one, who seemed rather unfazed by the hostile aura, was their captain, Akashi Seijuro. After all, it took a lot to faze their red haired captain. Certainly, a small dispute would not shake his unwavering mind.

However, the one to break the silence was in fact not their captain. It was none other than Kise Ryouta. Kuroko held his breath when the blonde approached Aomine with his usual laid-back attitude. The blonde was fairly good at hiding his uncertainty, but Kuroko easily saw through the model's façade – he was much more uptight than he may have appeared to less observant individuals.

"Aominechi." Kise started with a slight pouty face – trying to hide his insecurity behind humor. "What has gotten into you? There is nothing to be mad about; you did a fantastic job on the court!"

Kise went for a friendly pat on the back, but Aomine deflected it with a sharp motion of his hand.

"Scram, Kise!" Aomine barked back, not even turning to acknowledge the others presence.

"But Aominechi…" Kise insisted. "I know what we'll do! I'll take you out for ice cream, surely that will get you in a better mood!"

Despite the good intentions, Kise yelped when the dark male slammed his fist into the locker in front of him – Followed by another instance of heavy silence.

Aomine went for the exit with his characteristic displeased 'tch', and hands deeply buried in the depths of his pockets. He did not utter another word or acknowledged the blonde in any way.

Even Kise, who was normally persistent when trying to cheer someone up, stopped and simply watched as the dark male left the premises. After all, Kise was persistent but not stupid… Even he knew that following Aomine right now would only spell trouble.

"Who pissed him off?" Kise mumbled more to himself than the rest of the team, as he gazed worried after Aomine.

Kuroko stood in the corner of the locker room, desperately trying to stay out of the whole thing. He felt extremely inclined to use his lack of presence to disappear for the time being.

He felt like this whole ordeal was his fault and no matter what he said, it would only worsen the situation.

And it only went downhill from then on.

* * *

Aomine's behavior got more and more reckless, and it ended with the whole team more or less playing on their own terms instead of as a team. Aomine was not the deciding factor to the overall change, but it definitely contributed to the outcome.

In addition, Akashi did nothing to stop it, and Kuroko felt utterly helpless in helping his friends regain what they had lost – the love for basketball. That dear sense of belonging with the team.

He could not live like that. Playing basketball with people who only did so for their own personal gain. What he loved about the sport was team play, friendship, the tight knit bond all of them shared… Was it really all just gone like that? In the blink of an eye?

It was first on that fateful day of their graduation that it truly struck him that their time together was over… and there was nothing he could do about it.

Kuroko overlooked the empty schoolyard, his lip quivering lightly by the pent up emotions he had been keeping inside for the past few hours.

The wind danced lightly across the empty field, and Kuroko slowly closed his eyes in an attempt to keep his already shattered inner-self in check. It was rough. Honestly, he just wanted to forget all about the miracles, but at the same time, he knew that they were all deeply seared into his memory… _and heart._

Especially that certain someone had earned a special spot – tugging at Kuroko's heartstrings whenever he had the time to truly stop and feel.

The blue haired boy was not entirely sure how to deal with it.

However, Kuroko knew he would have to make a decision… and that, even before he was remotely ready for it.

Because as if fate had guided them together like so many times before, Kuroko slowly opened his sky blue eyes, by the soft sound of approaching steps.

_His steps._

"Tetsuya."

Akashi's voice was clear and strong like usual. No inner turmoil was evident.

Kuroko met the captain's gaze, trying to be brave, but those familiar two-colored eyes slowly made everything within the blue haired boy shatter bit by bit. He tried not to show it, but it became harder and harder to keep composed with every second.

"I'm glad you did not leave yet." Akashi spoke, his dark red hair moving in unison with the wind. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

Kuroko swallowed the spit gathering in his mouth, searching the other's eyes for the thing he knew he wanted to talk about.

_What were they going to do from now on?_

"Akashi-kun…" Kuroko whispered. He inhaled deeply – masking his inner feelings. "I suppose you have already set your eyes on a school…"

Akashi's head tilted slightly – his two colored eyes studying the other intensely. Kuroko knew he would not be able to hide how he felt for long, and especially not when he was in the presence of his captain…

_His ex captain._

However, Akashi did not act on the other's feelings immediately.

"I have." Akashi stated matter of factly. "What about you, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko held Akashi's gaze even though he felt his vision slowly getting blurrier and blurrier by the harsh fight to hold his tears back.

"Yes, Akashi-kun, I have." He managed to speak, though the words came out slightly distorted. "Seirin high school seems like a place where I would be able to find what I am looking for…"

He had seen Seirin and their fighting spirit. He admired it and wanted to be a part of it. In fact, he wanted more than anything to find the sense of belonging once more… The dear feeling he had treasured for so long at the Teikō team but was now lost to the miracles individual growth.

He wished it did not have to come to it, but he had to move on… No matter how heartbreaking it would be.

If he tried to hold on to the feeling he had with the other miracles, it would only kill him from the inside. No one would be fit living in the past when the future was awaiting them.

"What you are looking for." Akashi repeated, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips. "I see… That sounds good. Even though I cannot agree with it, I will have to respect your choice."

Akashi stepped forward, his hand finding hold at Kuroko's cheek.

"However, being the person I am, I cannot help but tempt you just a bit."

Kuroko stared questioningly at Akashi, his tears somehow remaining fixed in the corner of his eyes. Not spilling just yet.

"Come with me to Rakuzan high school."

Kuroko froze by the sudden request. It was not as if he had not expected Akashi to make such a demand, but none the less, he could not have braced himself fully for the impact when the words slipped across Akashi's tongue.

Such a selfish thing.

"Akashi-kun…" Kuroko muttered, his eyes lowering to the ground, breaking their eye contact.

"I'm sure you would end up being just as happy at Rakuzan – You would receive a higher level of education compared to other schools, in an environment where we can truly hone your skills on the court." Akashi moved his fingers lightly against Kuroko's cheek, the motion caring and tender. "And we would be together."

Kuroko bit his lip in frustration. He wished he did not have to deal with this right now, but there was no way around it.

"Akashi-kun… I'm flattered…" He mumbled, his voice slowly becoming less audible – turning into nothing more than a faint whisper. "And I wish I could…"

Akashi's eyes did not waver the least even when Kuroko brought his hand up to cup Akashi's that was still resting at his cheek.

"However, I simply can't."

With those words, the first stream of tears finally left the blue haired boy's eyes. Even though it was only a slight difference, Kuroko spotted how Akashi's gaze wavered by his fragile emotional state.

"I need to stand on my own two feet – somewhere where you can't pamper me anymore." He met his ex-captain's gaze once more, his vision blurred by the tears. He squeezed Akashi's hand in what was supposed to be a loving gesture. However, in his current state, the squeeze became slightly harder than what was intended. It hurt. "I really appreciate what we have and all the things you have taught me. Without you, I would not have been the person I am today. For that, I am eternally grateful to you."

Kuroko inhaled sharply. "However, I have to find my own path, and you have to find yours."

Akashi looked at the smaller blue haired boy in slight disbelief – the previous smile wiped from his face.

"Why is it that you believe we can't share the same path?" He asked, his voice calm and collected, despite his overall mask slowly crumbling.

"We can't as you are now." Kuroko replied immediately – prepared for Akashi's insisting nature. "I won't be able to grow freely as you are now, _as we are now_. You know that you are not the same anymore. Your thirst for victory in everything will just end up suffocating me."

Kuroko felt extremely frustrated. He wanted to be with Akashi more than anything else - however, he had to be selfish. The current Akashi would not be able to provide him with what he was looking for. It did not make Akashi less of a person or take away any of the admiration he had for his ex-captain… However, he knew from instinct, that Akashi would not be focusing his efforts on team play anymore. And if he stayed, he would only end up being miserable.

He had seen it in the other miracles as well. That dear time was lost.

Kuroko had made up his mind. He would stand on his own two feet once more, and face whatever came at him with renewed strength. He could not allow himself to lose his love for basketball… or the dear love for his teammates by clinging to what they once had.

He would show them through his basketball. If he tried to show it in any other way, he feared that it would have no effect.

"Akashi-kun?" Kuroko muttered when the redhead remained silent.

* * *

Akashi felt something within himself stir. He had known all along that this time would come - the time where the two of them would have to part.

However, he had clung to the sparse hope that Kuroko would follow him to Rakuzan. With that crushed too, Akashi felt a painful clenching centered at his heart.

Without even realizing it himself, his hand shot to the place where his heart was – tugging at the Teiko uniform as if the action would dull the pain.

"Tetsuya." He spoke the shadow's name softly, caressing each syllable as if it was the last time he was allowed to take that sweet name into his mouth.

He was not the type of person to repeat a request, but knowing that it was Kuroko, made the former Teikō captain discover a side to himself he did not even realize he had.

"What you are looking for cannot be obtained so easily." Akashi insisted, his voice firm. "In this world, we are all alone, our individual growth is all that matters, _victory is all that matters_."

He said the words as if he were in some sort of trance, his two-colored eyes fixated on surprised sky blue orbs. His words were more demanding than his intention had been.

"Victory…" His words trailed off upon seeing soft tears spilling from those sky blue eyes once more. He felt the sharp pain centered at his chest intensify.

"Akashi-kun…" The phantom spoke, the hurt painfully evident in his voice. "I have to do this…"

Akashi clenched his teeth in frustration. He could feel his cool slowly slip into oblivion. A voice, no more than a whisper, filled the back of his head, murmuring insisting words for him to calm down.

However, the current redhead was too far out of reach.

_Even for his previous self, to get to him._

Before he could think properly about his actions, Akashi took one long stride, covering the distance between him and blue haired shadow, until their bodies collided.

He embraced Kuroko tightly – Clutching at the other's lithe frame in hopes that if he held him long enough, it would somehow change the current situation.

Losing the other miracles was hard… However, letting Kuroko go was hard on a level the redhead could not currently deal with.

He held the blue haired boy in silence for a few long moments. The only thing breaking their mutual silence was the soft rustle of the wind, mixed with soft intakes of breath. He could feel the shadow's chest rise and fall slowly against his own.

Akashi felt powerless and weak. He needed to get stronger. He needed to show Kuroko and the other miracles that he was strong enough to win, even without them.

He would prove to them, that he was worthy of their feelings... and most importantly that he was worthy of the blue haired phantom clutched in his arms.

"Akashi-kun… I really like you… Nothing will ever be able to change that…"

Akashi's eyes widened by the soft whisper from the blue haired boy. He lowered his head slightly to meet the other's gaze.

"However, if you like me too… You should know that this is for the best…"

Akashi's fingers twitched by the painful truth the blue haired boy had put into words. He knew it was inevitable. However, accepting the truth, a truth Akashi could do nothing to change, was hard in so many unexplainable ways. He felt like challenging fate, the truth and the world while he was at it. He would do it all if it meant keeping Kuroko with him.

However, the soft voice from his previous self finally broke through the noise in his head, speaking words that tore him from the obsessive thoughts:

"_Keeping Kuroko close by force will only end up pushing him away. Do you truly want that?"_

Akashi's hold around Kuroko's frame slowly lessened. He felt so incredibly powerless. He poured all of that frustration and powerlessness into his next actions.

He let it go.

He shattered in that moment.

If his pride would not allow him to put his feelings into words, his actions would have to do.

Grabbing Kuroko's arm roughly, he slammed the blue haired boy's lips onto his own – pouring all of his pent up emotions into that moment, possessing, devouring and marking the blue haired boy with all of his might.

It was desperate, and not like him at all, but knowing that this would probably be the last time the two of them could share such a moment for a long while, he lowered his parades if just for a moment.

He felt the slightly smaller male's hands pressing against his chest for a few moments, before his body, slowly melted into his own in what must have been the blue haired boy's initial parades slipping. Instead of the slight pushing, Akashi felt small delicate fingers wrapping themselves in the fabric of his school uniform and he felt how his kiss was slowly reciprocated by the shadow.

Akashi did not waste any time exploring the other's mouth while burying his fingers greedily in familiar blue locks of hair. Kuroko's hair felt soft to the touch, and Akashi could not help but tug at it lightly as he tasted the depths of the other male's mouth.

Even though they were standing in the middle of the school courtyard, Akashi could not care less if anyone would see them. In fact, it would please him in some twisted way, knowing that someone had witnessed their current form – deeply entangled in each other, in what could only be interpreted as a lovers embrace.

Akashi slowly moved his hands from Kuroko's soft hair and onto the slight curve at the small of his back. He held him like that for a few seconds, as their kiss ended with heated pants slipping across the blue haired boy's lips. Akashi took note of the shadow's visibly flushed cheeks and the haze clouding clear blue eyes.

Akashi smiled triumphantly at the sweet display. He found great pleasure in seeing such a fragile side to the phantom 6th man – a side only visible to him.

"I guess this is for the best." Akashi spoke. "I reckon you won't forget me right away."

Akashi allowed a small smile to graze his lips, hoping that he had seared himself into the shadow's mind by now. Even though the smile was forced onto his features because of his damn sense of pride, he did not feel as bad anymore.

Seeing the longing look in the shadow's sky blue eyes made him believe that the two of them would meet again. And that Kuroko, somewhere deep down in the core of his being, would not forget about him so easily.

"Until then, Tetsuya, I hope you will find what you are looking for. When you do, I will be ready, waiting for you."

"Akashi-kun…" Kuroko muttered, watching as the former captain withdrew from his frame, and Kuroko was left bracing the merciless cold wind on his own. He instantly missed the captain's natural warmth.

Even though he had called out to the redhead, Akashi did nothing to stop – he had simply turned his back on Kuroko, walking further and further from the blue haired boy with every calculated stride.

Kuroko could only watch – studying Akashi's back as he slowly got out of reach. In more than one way. He admired the redhead in so many ways. However, he did not want to become what Akashi had turned into - _Someone lusting for victory, only for victory's sake._

Kuroko reminded himself of that, as he allowed another single tear to roll from the corner of his eye unto his cheek. He could still taste the captain on his lips – A feeling he knew he would have to live without for the next long period of time.

Having watched the captain's actions intensely, Kuroko honestly thought he was the only one hurting.

However, the shadow could not have been any more wrong. A single lonely tear fell from a sharp golden eye in silence.

Luckily, for Akashi, the cherry blossoms did not tell the tale of the captain's fatal moment of weakness.


End file.
